Peatónito: The Wrestler’s Pedestrian Revolution

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Peatónito is an urban planner by day, serving as Coordinator of Communication for the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in Mexico and working on the “Shared City” strategy for Vision Zero at the Laboratorio para la Ciudad.

By night, he’s a masked defender of pedestrians.

His story is featured as one of nine innovative solutions to traffic safety across the world, published in the first-ever issue of Vision Zero Cities: International Journal of Traffic Safety Innovation, by Transportation Alternatives in March 2016.

The “luchador” guides the elderly across the street, pushes vehicles backward out of crosswalks, paints crosswalks and road markings, and stomps across the tops of cars parked on the sidewalk to demonstrate to residents that they should be able to walk throughout the city without the danger of being hit by a car.

Innovative solutions to pedestrian safety, like a pedestrian revolution lead by a masked wrestler, are important not only to reduce fatalities and major injuries, but addressing pedestrian safety concerns can have a considerable impact on resident’s physical activity levels. Walking for recreation or transportation has numerous health benefits, benefits which are often only seen by middle-/high income people due to issues with road design and streetscape elements related to safety and aesthetics.

By adopting the beloved wrestling tradition and dressing as a player in the “lucha libre” arena, where regular people can become heroes, Peatónito is recognized as a vigilante of the streets and a local hero.

This has the potential to elevate conversations about improving pedestrian safety in urban cities.

Download your free issue of Vision Zero Cities: International Journal of Traffic Safety Innovation here.